CPF GST Voucher Scheme for Low or Middle-Income Households

GST – This refers to the Goods and Services Tax that is imposed when you purchase any goods or services.

GST Voucher – Lower and middle income households receive GST Vouchers to help with their expenses in a payout year.

Who gives out the GST Vouchers and why?

In 2012, the government introduced the permanent GST Voucher Scheme which is a broad based scheme meant for lower/middle income households to be used for their expenses in a payout year.

These vouchers will help low income eligible households offset at least half of the GST they pay every year. Retired couples living in small flats can cover all their GST expenses through the GST vouchers. Middle income households can use these vouchers to partially cover their GST expenses in a year.

Components of GST Vouchers

The government gives out GST Vouchers in three forms – Cash, U-Save, and Medisave.

In 2015 alone, 1.3 million Singaporeans benefited from this scheme receiving up to SS$300 per person through these vouchers. Approximately 400,000 elderly members also received GST Vouchers in the form of Medisave of SS$450 each and over 800,000 households received U-Save (utilities rebates) up to SS$260 each.

Cash:

Who is eligible to receive GST Voucher - Cash?

Singaporean Citizens living in Singapore.

Individuals who are at least 21 years old and above.

Income earned for YA 2015 should not be above SS$26,000 as assessed by the IRAS.

The AV of the home (as indicated on the NRIC) should not exceed SS$21,000 as of December 31, 2015.

Those who do not own more than 1 property.

How much can one receive through GST Voucher - Cash?

Table 1: GST Voucher - Cash Eligibility and Amount

Earned Income in 2014: S$26,000 or below as assessed in YA2015

AV of Home as of December 31, 2015

Up to S$13,000

Between SS$13,001 and S$21,000

Cash - Regular GST Voucher: Paid as of August 2016

S$300

S$150

Cash Special Payment - One-off GST Voucher Paid as of November 2016

S$200

S$100

Total

S$500

S$250

How to check if you are eligible for GST Voucher – Cash?

You can check if you are eligible for the GST Voucher Scheme for the year 2016 by logging into “My 2016 GST Voucher”. Every year in July, letters to eligible citizens will be sent out.

Signing up for GST Voucher – Cash:

If you have previously signed up for various government payouts such as Growth Dividend or GST Credits, 2015 GST Voucher etc. there is no requirement for you to sign up for the current year as you will be automatically enrolled.

However, if you have never signed up before, you have to sign up for it online (My 2016 GST Voucher). The deadline for signing up is December 31, 2016.

Choosing Mode of Payment:

You can choose from the following payment modes for receiving Cash under this scheme:

Receiving Payment under GST Voucher – Cash:

If you have signed up for this scheme in 2015, you would have received your GST Voucher – Cash on August 1, 2016.

However if you have signed up this year, you will receive the payment depending on the date you signed up and choose your mode of payment.

Table 2: Receiving GST Voucher – Cash and Payment Dates

Signing Up

Things You Need to Do to Receive your GST Voucher – Cash

Payment date

If you have not signed up previously -

Provide your preferred payment mode by July 14, 2016

August 1, 2016: If preferred payment mode is Cheque – Payments to be made 1 week after August 1, 2016

Provide your preferred payment mode between July 15, 2016 and December 31, 2016

August 1, 2016 onwards: If preferred payment mode is bank transfer – 10 business days for crediting to your chosen bank account. If preferred payment mode is Cheque – 15 business days for mailing the cheque to your address.

Note – Cheques issued are valid for a period of 6 months. If you forget to cash it within this period, the amount will be credited to your CPF OA or Ordinary Account.

Medisave

Who is eligible for GST Voucher – Medisave?

Singaporean Citizens living in Singapore.

Individuals who are 65 years old and above.

The AV of the home (as indicated on the NRIC) should not exceed SS$21,000 as of December 31, 2015.

Those who do not own more than 1 property.

How much can you receive through GST Voucher – Medisave?

Table 3: GST Voucher - Medisave Eligibility and Amount

Age as of 2016

AV of Home as of December 31, 2015

Up to $13,000

Between S$13,001 and S$21,000

Between 65 and 74 years

S$250

S$150

Between 75 and 84 years

S$350

S$250

85 years and above

S$450

S$350

How to check if you are eligible for GST Voucher – Medisave?

You can check if you are eligible for the GST Voucher Scheme for the year 2016 by logging into “My 2016 GST Voucher”. Every year in July, letters to eligible citizens will be sent out.

Signing up for GST Voucher – Medisave:

CPF members and those who have previously signed up for various government payouts such as Growth Dividend or GST Credits, 2015 GST Voucher etc. are not required to sign up for GST Voucher – Medisave. The amount you are eligible for will be credited automatically into your MA or Medisave Account.

However, if you have previously not signed up for any government payouts or are NOT a CPF member, you have to sign up online (My 2016 GST Voucher). You have to sign up by December 31, 2016 to be eligible for the payout.

Receiving Payment under GST Voucher – Medisave:

If you are eligible/have previously signed up for government payouts, you would have received your GST Voucher – Medisave in your MA on August 1, 2016.

However if you have signed up this year, you will receive the payment depending on the date you signed up.

Table 4: Receiving GST Voucher – Medisave and Payment Dates

Signing Up

Things You Need to Do to Receive your GST Voucher – Cash

Payment date

If you have not signed up previously -

If you signed up by July 14, 2016

August 1, 2016:

If you signed up between July 15, 2016 and December 31, 2016

August 1, 2016 onwards: 10 business days to credit into your CPF Medisave Account.

Note – This is a Medisave top-up and withdrawal of the same is subject to CPF withdrawal rules. The money can be used to cover all eligible Medisave expenses.

U-Save

How to check if you are eligible for GST Voucher – U-Save?

HDB households only are eligible for GST Voucher – U-Save as the amount will be credited to the utility account of the HDB flat. Your household is eligible for this scheme if you meet the following conditions:

There should be a minimum of 1 Singaporean citizen who is an owner/occupier in your HDB flat if you own and live there.

There should be a minimum of 1 Singaporean citizen who is an owner/occupier in your HDB flat if you are partially subletting it.

There should be a minimum of 1 Singaporean citizen who is a tenant if you are subletting the entire flat + if you have immediate family members living in the flat, they must not have any interest to or own more than 1 property.

Depending on the type of HDB flat, you will receive the U-Save benefit. Each flat is eligible to receive 1 GST Voucher – U-Save.

Table 1: Type of HDB Flat and U-Save Benefit offered

Type of HDB Flat

July 2016

October 2016

January 2017

April 2017

U-Save Benefit Per Year

1 & 2 rooms

S$65

S$65

S$65

S$65

S$260

3 rooms

S$60

S$60

S$60

S$60

S$240

4 rooms

S$55

S$55

S$55

S$55

S$220

5 rooms

S$50

S$50

S$50

S$50

S$200

Executive or Multi-Gen flat

S$45

S$45

S$45

S$45

S$180

Signing up for GST Voucher – U-Save:

There is no requirement for your household to sign up for the GST Voucher - U-Save. Eligible households will receive the payments directly to their utility accounts.

Receiving Payment under GST Voucher – U-Save:

Every year the GST Voucher – U-Save payments are provided through 4 payments. For 2016, the payments will be provided in July and October of 2016 and January and April of 2017.

If there are any unused U-Save benefits, they will roll over to the following months for offsetting your future utility bills. They will only lapse when you close the utilities account of your household.

The GST Vouchers are meant specifically for lower and middle income and elderly citizens to help cope with increasing GST expenses year on year. These benefits can help cover your GST spends partially or fully in various ways including cash benefits, Medisave top-ups and U-Save benefits credited to your HDB flat’s utility account.